The Sacred Ground Of Deep Seated Hate by Russell Simmons

We started this great nation with values that did not exist anywhere else in the world. We have stumbled, we have made mistakes and we have faltered along the way, however we live another day with the hopes of perfecting our union. Yet here we are once again, at a defining moment that will test the strength of our freedoms and our commitment to our founding principles.

It is said in the yogic scripture that in or order to really change the mind of another person, you must first learn to love them. However, I must admit for me it can be a very frustrating process. There are many members of the more conservative sector of our society who are incredibly intelligent, compassionate and loving, but like some of my liberal friends, they suffer from delusion once someone challenges them with an opposing position.

What journalists like Michelle Malkin, Andrew Breitbert and countless other conservatives have made their money on, is the ability to distract their audiences from the real issue, by focusing on the most insignificant portion of the opposing argument. This is exactly what they did when I spoke on Larry King last week about the Muslim community center in Lower Manhattan, Park 51, as they harped on a ten-second mistake I made from a twenty minute interview that was designed to promote love, compassion and the respect for our very FIRST AMENDMENT of the AMERICAN CONSTITUTION. Michelle Malkin wants to give me, as she referred to it, a “Def History Lesson,” on the subject of the hole that has existed directly across the street, outside my window since September 11, 2001. Well Ms. Malkin, here is a Def History Lesson, Part II, for all of the people who seem to be somewhat blinded by the deep hole inside their hearts, which many of my friends would call hatred.

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After all of our previous mistakes caused by some Christians that were perceived by some Muslims as the cause of the 9/11 attacks, when the smoked cleared, we were in the greatest position this nation has been in since World War II to promote world peace. However, to my dismay as well as countless others, the exact opposite occurred. George W. Bush, our 43rd President, supposedly had a vision from God (I would assume his Christian God) to go on a “crusade,” which history has now proven was laden with countless mistakes which helped create a cycle of negativity that erased all of the outpouring of love and sympathy that the world had showered upon our nation.

There was no question we needed a change, and in 2008 we got one. Our next Christian president, Barack Obama, vowed to make friends with like minded people around the world, despite their color or religion. The world applauded us and was willing to give us a second chance. He took advantage of that opportunity by reaching out to the Muslim world, beginning with his beautiful speech in Cairo, Egypt. As a leader he tried to represent the collective, which said we are after terrorists and not the beautiful faith of Islam.

President Obama was taking this country on the right path; back to one that respected the First Amendment, and most recently made a clear statement that the American ideal of religious freedom cannot be questioned. But when the bombs came from the Right Wing media and public opinion turned, I saw many Democrats, including Sen. Reid, former Gov. Dean and even Gov. Paterson turn political and become sheep to the growing American trend of Islamaphobia. There is absolutely no reason to support neg